dark things never rest (a runemarks story)
by SuperWhoLockiansAssemble
Summary: Taking place after runemarks and runelights, Maddy is certain that they haven't reached the Happy Ending the Easir and Vanir had fought so bad for and that something much darker is just around the corner...
1. 1 red horse hill

The village of Malbry was unusually quiet this week; no doubt because of everything that had just happened. It had been especially noted by the- recently quite imaginative- folk of Malbry that the red-head young man (who was always in Maddy Smith's presence) and his band of peculiar folk were always where trouble was. This was no different…

"Hey Mads" a familiar voice called as its owner sat next to Maddy on Red Horse Hill.

"It's MaddY" she emphasized with annoyance, but she felt a smile formed on her lips as she heard Loki's voice.

"Well, what's in a name? It doesn't define us, right?" Loki gave a crooked smirk, "Anyway, you're looking particularly moody today, what's wrong?"

"I want to find Maggie. Something tells me this is just the beginning of something much darker. Worse than what happened in Worlds End." Maddy gazed out into the distance towards the long road that eventually ended at Worlds End, knowing that her sister was alone out there somewhere.

"For once I think everything's gonna go well." Loki assured her, placing a pale hand on her shoulder. It felt unnatural since he wasn't the most sympathetic person, but she was probably his only true friend.


	2. 2 crows and widows

A _CRAWK _rang through the silent air, pulling Maddy from her day-dreams. A jet-black crow with a single white feather on top of its head landed to her right as it _crawk_ed again.

"Hey Munin." She said. Much like Odin, she was fond of the clever crows, unlike Loki who -since the two had eaten a plate of his favourite jam tarts last Friday- would rather see them on the dinner table for supper. Munin pecked at something tied to her leg, flapping her wings in frustration. Maddy untied what was a small scroll from the crow's leg.

"What is it?" asked Loki, curiously peering over her left shoulder. Maddy straightened the rough parchment with the palm of her hand. It read: "SiFs HoUsE. NoOn. UrGeNt."

"We have to meet at Sif's house." she said. When Loki made no attempt at moving, she sighed, "All of us!"

**Maggie**

Maggie Scattergood- or "the young widow" as most people called her- had spent the last month clearing p the streets of Worlds End and gaining a reputation for being an extraordinary nurse. She had found herself a small flat like place that looked over the entire city, probably once belonging to a well-off couple. All around her small haven were memories of Adam, perfectly placed so as to feel his presence and he wedding dress was neatly hanging out of sight in a wardrobe so as not to remind he of that day. But everything remind her of _that _day, the birds reminded here of those damned crows, every dark haired girl remind her of her sister and the ever-sly salesmen of that man who'd once broken into the penthouse. There was a knock at the door.

"Im coming!" Maggie called, adjusting the black scarf around her head. She opened the door to reveal a small girl with curious green eyes and plaited honey coloured hair. "Oh hello" Maggie smiled, kneeling to the girl's height as best as she could.

"Mammy says me brother's ill, can yer help Miss?" The girl pleaded, holding out a handful of coins. Maggie closed the girl's scrawny hand over the money.

"Of course, who says you need to pay?" Maggie took her medical bag and gently held the little girls hand. She pulled Maggie through winding side-streets and across busy markets.

"Me name's Maala, me Brother's name is Zuriel.." Maala babbled on as she pulled a breathless Maggie between a dozen vegetable stands. Maggie realized that Maala's family were quite religious, evidently from the fact that Zuriel meant "my rock is God" in the religious scriptures. Finally the girl stopped at a crooked red door, seemingly unaffected by all the running and hurried walking, whereas Maggie was clutching her stomach trying to regain her breath. When she felt better, Maala opened the door to the most painful sight she had seen for awhile...


	3. 3 adventures

Loki and Maddy raced to Sif and Thor's "Midgard" house. Maddy was fast, but the Trickster was faster. His ginger mess of hair stuck to his forehead with and his emerald green eyes shone with the prospect of winning. He gave Maddy a quick glance, "I'm so gonna win." May frowned as she narrowly missed stumbling over a wooden crate. At last the house was in sight. Loki urged his tired feet onwards, with a hunger for victory in his eyes. Maddy stepped on her toes to try to get faster. 10 metres. 5 metres. They were neck and neck. Suddenly the Trickster jerked in front of Maddy. He slammed his hand onto the stone wall to confirm his little victory.

"Bad luck Maddy." He gave a childish grin.

Maddy's cheeks were flushed red, "Uh huh... yeah... Gimme one minute." She took several deep breaths before resuming, "tell me why I agreed to race you?"

"Because," Loki grinned, "I'm extremely persuasive."

Maddy sighed, wiping the beads of sweat from her brow. She gestured to the front door, "shall we?"

In the snug little cottage there seemed an air of tension. Skadi, Frey, Thor and Heimdall were brooding over a collection of maps, Odin was sitting in his usual space a desk and Freyja and Idunn see at beside either silently.

"Maddy!" Odin called in a pleased tone, "Loki." He said a tone colder. He was in his original aspect, the one May had grown up seeing, yet Perth's rune still some on his arm."let's get straight to the point. I need two-maybe three- people to go sort out a rift to Dream that opened up in Worlds End, it'll be dangerous. Any volunteers?"

Maddy's eyes widened at the thought of an adventure, "I'll go!" Her father Thor shifted uncomfortably at the idea of having her getting into danger but Odin showed no emotion.

"If Maddy's going then I am too." Loki volunteered, "I need time away from all this... domestic stuff" His comment roused a few angry murmurs and hostile looks.

"Fine, you leave on the morrow. Dismissed." Odin said calmly, but there seemed something off about him. Thor tried to protest but was silenced, "I SAID DISMISSED!" Everyone got up to leave, "Not you Loki." Loki sstood in the corner like a guilty school boy, had bowed and arms crossed. Maddy lingered on awhile until the others had all gone, then pressed her ear against the wooden door. It was carved with runes, making it hard to hear, but not impossible. She could hear the two's conversation:

"You can't do this, you're married" Odin said.

"We are divorced, plus as I recall, wasn't it a forced wedding?" Loki hissed. There was some talking to quiet to hear, but the volume quickly rose again.

"WHY CAN'T YOU GIVE THIS UP?!" Odin bellowed.

"BECAUSE I LOVE HER!" Loki had screamed, Maddy could almost hear his pain. Whoever this girl was, she thought, really mattered to the Trickster.

"You love no-one but yourself." Odin growled. The next words were muffled but she caught Odin saying something about staying away and consequences.

"Damn you all. The Easir and the Vanir!" Loki screamed, followed by the request that Odin should do something biologically impossible with himself. There was the loud crash of a porcelain vase and heavy footsteps in Maddy's direction. She barely had leaped out of the way when burst open, revealing a tearful and furious Loki. The door slammed shut behind him as he angrily wiped away the tears, but the anger quickly turned to a look of horror when he saw Maddy's face. "How much did you hear?" He stuttered.


	4. 4 food

"N-nothing really, I just came to get you." Maddy stuttered, she was rubbish at lying but her fear and did sudden shock covered it up. As soon as she had finished that wall that blocked everyone from ever seeing his feelings was back in Loki's fiery green eyes.

"You shouldn't have waited, it's getting dark outside." He realised that what he said sounded unapreciative and added, "but thanks anyway."

"Wanna get something to eat?" Maddy offered, following Dogstar out of the house.

"If you're planning on getting me drunk to share my emotions, I'll let you know now that that is not a good idea. I know from experience." Loki shot her a dramatic suspicious look.

"Just food then?" Maddy lifted an eyebrow, "I'm starving."

Loki sighed, "fine."

The type of getting food they had in mind were quite different. Maddy wanted to go buy some food from Mrs Scattergood, while Loki wanted to steal from Mrs Scattergood. The latter was grudgingly accepted by Maddy. Loki already knew that the meat was kept in the back room from his earlier adventures there.

"Keep it down!" Maddy said in a hushed voice. Loki poked his head through the tiny cellar window. She had no idea how he could even fit through such a small place.

"Chicken or steak pie?" He grinned, his mouth stuffed with a jam tart.

"Steak. Now get out!" Maddy whispered, she looked around frantically. The sun had set half an hour ago but there were still people out and about, luckily the back room faced a wall. Suddenly there was a loud crash followed by swearing.

"Who's there?!" Boomed a voice.


	5. hide and seek

Maddy peeked carefully through the window on her tiptoes. The trapdoor leading to the inn above was open and a silhouette of a woman's feet were rooted into the ground. Loki was directly under the window, peering up in anticipation. She saw him cast bjarkan-the rune of vision- backwards along with Naudr the binder. Within seconds he was just a blur and Maddy couldn't focus on him, or rather something told her not to. Mrs Scattergood had slowly descended down the creaking steps with a rolling pin clutched firmly in one plump hand. Maddy moved quickly away from the window and flattened herself against the cold bleach white wall as the footsteps pattered towards her. She held her breath, hands trembling. She could hear the harsh breathing of her pursuer just a few metres away...

**MAGGIE**

Maala had taken her to what looked like a scene from the catacombs the day Adam died. The cramped house was shared by no less than twenty people, and not a healthy person to be seen. Maggie could hear the splutters and coughs of the ill, mixed with the ground of the people in pain. Still the little girl lead her forward, oblivious of her surroundings. She stopped when they reached a ragged bone-thin boy no more than six years of age.

"That's me brother, Zuriel." Maala pointed. Next to the boy were his parents, both young, but worry and lack of sleep had made them seem older.

"Hello Zuriel, I'm he here to help you. Can you turn over?" Maggie asked. With shaking limbs the boy managed to turn over. Maggie took a thermometer and placed it gently into his mouth. It showed normal. "Sick or your tongue please." That told her what she needed, he was dehydrated, and with his pale tone she guessed that it was cholera.

"What is it?" Asked the woman beside her.

"Water poisoning." Maggie sighed, "could you leave me alone with him a moment?" The man led the mother away, looking longingly back at their son. Maggie knew she couldn't use her runes infront of the family, they would see her gift as a sin, as it said in the Good Book. When the parents were out of view Maggie drew Ur- the rune of strength- on Zuriel's chest, it glimmers for a few seconds then faded into a more natural mark. She could feel his energy coming back to him. Maggie got up and walked towards the parents, "You should use the fountain on Furress lane, it's safe to use."

"Thank you." The mother hugged Maggie tightly, forcing a few coins into her hand. Maggie smiled at them as she left, but she had a feeling that something bad would happen to them.


	6. The beginning of the end

Loki could feel the adrenaline coarsing through his veins, hear his heart beat like the war drums that had echoed through the dark air of Ragnarok. He grinned, watching through the one-way window of his runes, calculating every possibility. Mrs Scattergood eyes every corner suspiciously, then when she was sure that the noise was only a figment of her own imagination, She retreated back to the bar. Grinning like an idiot, Loki took a plate of jam tarts and squeezed through the window, "That was fun!"

"Fun?!" Maddy almost screamed, "That was in no way fun! We almost got caught!"

"Almost." Loki strolled away before Maddy could answer, instead she was left to blindly followed him. When they got to Red Horse Hill he stopped and turned around, "Looks like a good spot."

"The same place we were at this afternoon, so I hope that the usual place hasn't suddenly become a bad spot." Maddy raised an eyebrow, annoyed at Loki for having such a good answer for everything.

"So pessimistic!" Loki rolled his eyes, "just sit and eat." Maddy didn't argue, she was too hungry. They sat cross-legged, facing eachother, sharing the steak pie. The gravy ran down her chin as she chewed on the tender meat filling. Maddy glanced at Loki; he was licking his fingers hungrily, already finished with his slice. She wiped her mouth with a napkin she kept in the pocket of her waistcoat.

"What happened with Odin?" Maddy suddenly blurted out. Loki looked at her as if he were fighting the urge to say something.

"You know, sometimes in life there are things you want but can't have, whether it be for the sake of others or because others don't want it. But this is definitely not the time for deep crap, so... Did you know that in some cultures they believe that those are the spirits of the dead?" Loki lay back, pointing North beyond Malbry at the distant glimmer of the aurora.

"Apparently its got something to do with light from the sun getting trapped under the atmosphere or something." Maddy leaned back admiring its glory.

"Well thats just sciency and boring, I like my idea more." He pouted in a mocking way, making Maddy smile. She looked up to the stars and tried to remember this moment; her best friend beside her, the meal they had shared, the view. Something told her she should cherish the moment. The last thing Maddy remembered from that evening was the sound of Loki's voice babbling on about constellations, getting quieter and quieter as the sweet temptation of sleep pulled her in, until there was nothing.

**MAGGIE**

Maggie came back home just in time for the sunset. Dragging a chair to the window, she sat down as usual to watch her world be plunged into a cool darkness, only to be coloured by the twinkling candles in their multi-coloured stain glass holders. As calm and collected as she may have seemed at that point, there was a war raging inside of her head. She said one thing, her conscience another.  
><em>"You have to find Maddy, its her fault Adam's dead" <em>her conscience insisted.  
>"What happens if I do? Blaming her wont do any good"<br>_"But avenging your husband will"  
><em>"But she's family"  
><em>"Family isn't who you are related to, it's who you choose it to be. She's nothing to you."<br>_"She's not even a threat"  
><em>"She will be. You saw her face when you told her about the baby, she doesn't want it<em> born."  
>Maggie put a hand protectively over her stomach, she knew what she had to do.<p> 


	7. Goodbyes

Beams of light entered through the window, setting a golden glow to the room. Maddy awoke to the sound of a sweet hushed voice at the side of her bed, "Maddy, wake up, come on its nearly time to go." Idunn went to open the window, as Maddy stretched.

"When did I come here?" She yawned.

"Oh, Loki brought you, he said you fell asleep on the hill after your dinner. Such a sweet person." Idunn smiled, she thought everyone was 'sweet'. Idunn hummed as she pulled back the curtains, "They're waiting downstairs, you should pack your stuff." Maddy had totally forgotten about packing. Quickly, she she got out of her wardrobe a brown skirt, two blouses, a grey waistcoat, a night dress, two daggers, a set of throwing knives and socks and stuffed it into a green duffle bag. Then she put on her riding leathers; leather and hard-cloth brown trousers with a dark green tunic complete with a knee-length brown leather jacket- a generous gift from her father, Thor, appreciated even if he wasn't much of a father figure. Maddy quickly done up the laces on her boots before taking her belongings and skipping downstairs. She made here way onto the front lawn where Odin waited with two horses, along with Heimdall, Idunn, Thor and Loki.

"There's the sleepy one!" Thor said jokingly when he saw her. She smiled politely and said her farewells to them in turn. Thor kissed her on the forehead, Heimdall gave her an over friendly pat on the back and hug, Idunn hugged her softly and passed her a small parcel of food which Maddy thanked her for and then at last she said her good-byes to Odin. Slinging her duffle bag over her shoulder, she mounted her grey mare. She looked to Loki; he was riding a skinny chestnut stallion and was carrying a slightly smaller bag than hers.

"See you in a few days." Maddy waved at them.

Loki was turning his horse around when Odin called out, "Loki remember what I said."

He gave a mocking salute in return, "Yes sir!"

Maddy went into a quick trot towards the main road, Loki on her right. The sun was out but it was cold outside, and the wind blew Maddy's hair into her face. After a while she turned to Loki, "Loki, are you sure it wouldn't be better having the people to go to Worlds End. I know it's just a tiny thing we're dealing with but y'know, just in case..."

"Actually that's exactly what One-Eye said to me this morning." Loki shrugged.

"And?"

"One-Eye chose a young girl- around your age- and seriously powerful. For her own good the Easir and Vanir don't know about her."

"What's her name?"

"Nimueh." Loki looked out into the distance.


	8. Nimueh

The two rode in silence for awhile before at last Maddy couldn't bare it, "Why don't the Easir and Vanir know about her?"

Loki pushed back his hair with a pale hand, "the girl knows her runes quite well, but she knows many other- much darker things. Her mother was a witch from the Eastern Asshai isles that taught her the ancestral magic, power like that is limitless. If the Easir and Vanir knew, they'd hunt her down. They wouldn't give a damn whether she was Balder's illegitimate daughter."

"Wait so we're related?" Maddy was shocked.

"Yeah I guess."

"How do you know about her?" Maddy frowned.

"I had been keeping an eye on her before Odin, she would be a great ally. It was just by chance that Odin and I realised we both knew her and since then I was given the duty of checking up on her every now and again." Loki squinted for a moment before turning left, "we need to go over Forge's Post."

**MAGGIE**

Maggie slept fearlessly that night, seeing many dreams, but only ones she could clearly remember. Her sister and that red-head Trickster, were making their way South to Worlds End. She'd had a similar dream the night before: the one who called himself the All-Father and the Trickster had been fighting over something that was not clear to her. Maggie didn't in know why these strange new 'visions' had started, but she knew she could use it as an advantage.


End file.
